Things to Do When It's Raining: A review

From Goodreads: When secrets tear love apart, can the truth mend it?

Mae Summers and Gabriel Broadbent grew up together in the idyllic Summers’ Inn, perched at the edge the St. Lawrence river. Mae was orphaned at the age of six and Gabe needed protection from his alcoholic father, so both were raised under one roof by Mae’s grandparents, Lilly and George. A childhood friendship quickly developed into a first love—a love that was suddenly broken by Gabe’s unexpected departure. Mae grew up, got over her heartbreak, and started a life for herself in New York City.

After more than a decade, Mae and Gabe find themselves pulled back to Alexandria Bay. Hoping to find solace within the Summers’ Inn, Mae instead finds her grandparents in the midst of decline and their past unravelling around her. A lifetime of secrets stand in the way of this unconventional family’s happiness. Will they be able to reclaim the past and come together, or will they remain separate islands?

My thoughts: I had a hard time with this one. I was really intrigued by the synopsis, title, and cover image, but it just fell short for me. Characters are integral to me, and I like a good flawed character, but I didn't like any of these characters. They all seemed to ruminate for years over things they did, or things that were done to them. So much so that it completely affected every aspect of their lives. I had a hard time connecting to anyone in the story, which is important to me as a reader.  

I was really confused for the first few chapters, too, because so many characters were introduced at once. I often forgot whose perspective I was reading from. There were two characters with names that started with 'V', and I kept confusing the two. 

I did really like the setting. The river played a big part and definitely felt like a character at times. The cover leads you to believe the story will be optimistic and sunny, but in reality it was kind of dark and dreary. I like when the atmosphere interacts with characters and becomes one itself. 

I ended up rating this 3 out of 5. It was a decent story, but just not the right one for me. I still think it's worth a read, though. I really wanted to like this one more than I did. 

A free digital copy of this book was provided by Simon and Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review. 

Keep Her Safe by K.A Tucker: A Review

From Goodreads: Noah Marshall has known a privileged and comfortable life thanks to his mother, the highly decorated chief of the Austin Police Department. But all that changes the night she reveals a skeleton that's been rattling in her closet for years, and succumbs to the guilt of destroying an innocent family's life. Reeling with grief, Noah is forced to carry the burden of this shocking secret.

Gracie Richards wasn't born in a trailer park, but after fourteen years of learning how to survive in The Hollow, it's all she knows anymore. At least here people don't care that her dad was a corrupt Austin cop, murdered in a drug deal gone wrong. Here, she and her mother are just another family struggling to survive...until a man who clearly doesn't belong shows up on her doorstep.

Despite their differences, Noah and Gracie are searching for answers to the same questions, and together, they set out to uncover the truth about the Austin Police Department's dark and messy past. But the scandal that emerges is bigger than they bargained for, and goes far higher up than they ever imagined.

My thoughts: I'm a fairly recent fan of K.A Tucker (loved Until It Fades so much), so I was so excited when the opportunity to review this one came up. One of the things that I love so much about Tucker's books are the characters. They're always so real, relatable, and at times, unlikable. I don't know about you, but I like characters who aren't perfect specimens. Nothing is more frustrating than reading about perfect people who never so much as have a strand of hair out of place. Noah and Gracie were endearing because they struggled, and were far from perfect.

There were a few mysteries in this book, and they're all woven together to tell the complete story. I liked how each different mystery told a different part of the main story. There are 4 points of view (Gracie, Noah, Abe, and Jackie), and I really liked how you got a glimpse of the past in between the present. It allowed me to try and figure out the mystery with the little clues that were sprinkled in the past and present chapters. 

There was a romance in this, but it's sweet and not overwhelming. I love a good romance, and I love a good thriller/mystery, but I like them separate. The romance in this worked well, and didn't take anything away from the other plots. 

Tucker is Canadian, and I really wish that her stories would take place in Canada. That is my only complaint. There are so many US eccentric books, and I'd love some more mainstream Canadian located stories. 

I gave this one a 4 out of 5 stars based on Goodreads rating system.

A free copy of this book was provided by Simon and Schuster Canada in exchange for a review.